Nothing Succeeds Like Success

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
- Thomas Edison

I’ve never met anyone who didn’t want to be successful at something. It’s fair to say we all want to be successful. Here are some tips I’ve learned over the years that have helped me stay on track and move toward my dreams.

1. Do the Right Things Every Day.

The best way to accomplish anything is to put the power of action and time to work for you. Just like interest accruing on an investment, when you invest the right actions on a daily basis, you accomplish your goal much faster.

So, whatever you’re doing, figure out the actions you need to take on a regular basis to accomplish your goals. Then do those every day, every week, every month, whatever it takes to get it done. When we were planning the Bed and Breakfast and the renovation logistics.. came up with a timeline… and stuck to it. Worked on it every day… chiseling away piece by piece.

2. Be Good to Yourself.

Being successful in business, as in life, takes energy and work. And it’s a lot harder when you’re tired, stressed out or otherwise in poor health. So, set yourself up for a win by taking care of yourself. Keep your body and mind well-tuned and in good shape so you have the physical and mental energy to be all that you can be. We’re all different so we all have things that help us stay healthy and balance. Find what works for you and do them on a daily basis. For me a “bad day on the horse is better than no day on him/her”

3. Keep Swinging the bat.

Kirby Puckett who played for the Minnesota Twins was well known for being a consistently good hitter. A reporter once asked him what his secret was. He said it was simple. He swung the bat as often as possible. Every opportunity he got, he’d swing at pitches. He said the more he’d swing, the more he’d hit. Hmmm.. simple really.

The more times you try, the more opportunities you have to succeed. And, the more you do something, the better you get at doing it. So, your success rate will probably increase.

4. Read the Signs.

We all get busy. Our personal and business lives are full to the brim with things to occupy our time and mental space. So, it’s easy to zip through life and miss things.

Like signs.

The world is constantly telling us things. Whether we believe it or are even aware of it, we have signs all around us, guiding us.

I think of the movie, L.A. Story (1991) starring Steve Martin. While trying to find meaning in his life, Steve Martin’s character discovers the highway signs in Los Angeles are sending him messages. (They’re written in plain English so it’s hard to miss them.) In time, he learns to pay attention to his signs and his life becomes more purposeful and less chaotic.

The older I get the more I realize the importance of reading the signs the world gives us. Maybe this is because I’ve gotten better at reading them and I’ve seen the impact on my life.

When several independent things happen in my life that point in the same direction, I take that as a sign. When I try to avoid or ignore something and it keeps coming back, I see that as a sign. When I keep making the same mistake over and over and then someone or something helps me pull my head out of the sand so I see the error of my ways,

I take that as a sign.

The more you learn to read your signs, the better you will be at making the right decisions in your life.

5 Don’t Try to be Perfect.

I’m always amazed at how many of us fall into the perfection trap. We can’t start something until we think we have the whole thing planned out. Or we don’t finish things until they’re done to our level of perfection. I’ve done both, more than I care to admit.

Striving for quality is great. So is meeting standards. But we should never strive so much for perfection that we lose sight of our goal.

Nobody is perfect. Nothing is perfect. It’s simple human arrogance to assume we can achieve perfection. It’s just not possible. So, get over it. Set your standards to a level that is appropriate to your goals and resources. Then git ‘r done

6. Know Thyself and Flow with The Go

You’ll  accomplish more if you use your strengths. Our strengths and our talents make us unique. They give us abilities to do certain things very well. As such, they help define who we are and what we should spend our time doing. if you want to watch G-d laugh, have a plan… Have a plan but you gotta flow with the go… It’s all part of the grander plan ultimately

We will be more successful at things we do well than at things we do not do well. The more we know ourselves, the better we can understand our individual and unique talents. And then you can be like Tiger… get that hole in one. .. keep swinging .

Breakfast is served. Hole in One

It’s basically a slice of the best bread you can find, with a little hole cut out in the middle. A fresh egg is lovingly nestled in the hole and then cooked (either baked or fried) until ready. Serve with bacon and you have the perfect brunch dish So go be like Tiger Woods and enjoy that hole in one.

Adapted from Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs

* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
* 4 slices sturdy bread, sliced 1-inch thick
* 4 large eggs
* salt and pepper

1. Dscn1946Butter both sides of the bread. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out a hole in the centre of each slice of bread. Reserve the cutout pieces of bread.
2. Melt the remaining butter in a skillet and saute the cutout pieces of bread until golden; set aside.
3. Add a bit more butter to the pan if necessary, and lay the bread in the pan. You may have to cook these two at a time so as not to overcrowd your pan. Cook the bread for one minute and then turn. Gently crack an egg into the centre of each slice of bread. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until the bread begins to toast and turn golden on the bottom. Carefully, flip the slices of bread over and fry for another 1 or 2 minutes.
5. Serve with bacon and the fried cutout pieces of bread to dip into the egg yolk.
6. Enjoy!

Note: This recipe serves 4.

Look for Your Landing

A childhood dream come true… a leap of faith… especially when a major lifestyle change occurs in the process. Lots of folks dream of leaving the urban sprawl and get some land. But alas, why do you want land? Get that settled first. Why are you even considering spending a 55-gallon drum or so of real money on some remote tract of dirt and rock? Ask the average guy what he’d do if he were to win the lottery. Chances are he’ll talk ranch. There’s just something mythical about owning acreage.

It’s a throwback to our heritage or nature, a sense of adventure, control of our own destiny, perhaps a dormant agrarian gene buried in our D.N.A. Perhaps we’ve watched a few too many John Wayne flicks.

Ignoring the intangibles, investment means buying right and selling right, both of which require research of your desired market to make intelligent decisions. Undertaken sensibly, land investment offers very tangible tax advantages, not to mention lifestyle

“Location, location, location,” yeah, right, but it’s true.

Decide on areas of interest, and then read up on those areas. Read the local papers, visit with locals at the cafes, investigate census figures, and study water issues and availability. Determine trends, find locations of landfills, prisons, or other issues with potential to affect values.

Before you start investigating specific possibilities, determine your goal. Are you intending to simply hold the property for a profitable resale, or do you picture years of enjoyment with your grandchildren on your Ponderosa? It affects your decision. Then, as you proceed to check on specific ranches, remember that there is no perfect ranch out there, no utopia. They all have flaws. That can be a surprisingly hard concept to accept. But the more pre-investigation you do, the more likely you’ll be to locate tracts approaching your needs.

Then start looking. Looking is half the fun. Enjoy it! Figure on looking at dozens of places. They may not be making anymore land, but there are always more places coming onto the market.

Personally, I prefer the alpine country country of Montana.. a childhood dream come true and chose to make it home. It’s great and if the market goes south and I’m stuck with it, that’s alright with me. Quit looking for that great bargain. It isn’t out there. Sellers are sophisticated and know about recent comparable sales. But they’ll usually give a little on price.

Two biggies that we found (among others)

CLEAR TITLE: This is a b iggie… If there is a lien on a property due to non-payment of bills or taxes, the title will be considered clouded and you might not be able to obtain clear title to your piece of land. There may be disputes about boundary lines, or adverse possession if you have an unwelcome long-term squatter. In most cases, a thorough title search will uncover any irregularities, and the mortgage company will require that you purchase a one-time title insurance policy against any future issues.

WATER SOURCE: If you need to dig a well, consult with the local well driller. There’s a pretty good chance that the driller will have a good idea about how deep he’ll need to go. You will pay by the foot to drill a well, and it could add thousands to your budget. Ah, we love the well water…You’ve done your homework and you’re considering several places. Don’t choose it if it doesn’t have water. Test the water. Have your attorney examine and explain fully any easements and mineral clauses, and ensure that it comes with an agricultural tax exemption that you’ll immediately personally renew after closing.

How old are you? INot gettin personal mind you, but the older you are, you’re probably adverse to risk. Cash out. But you young studs all want it now. Go for it!Of course you can’t afford it. But if your wait extends to “one of these days” you’ll never be able to afford it. Take a chance. If you fail, get up and try again. ( See paragraph A above… a childhood dream come true).. if not now, then when?

Here’s how. Bite off more than you can chew. Try to have saved enough for a low down payment and the first of many long term note payments.

Sacrifice. You don’t really need that new truck, and a little overtime never hurt anyone. How bad do you want this ranch? Lease out the grazing or farming, as well as the old farm house and the hunting. Time seems to lessen the burden of payments. Meanwhile, on weekends or after your regular job, invest a lot of elbow grease into your ranch. Paint the front gate, grade the roads, cut a few kinks, and repair the barn roof. The grunt work will help keep you in shape. I know gazillionnaires who dig their own post holes. Get down and dirty!

Yeah, I know the stock market is nuts, and I’ve read the headlines about sub-prime markets collapsing. So what? If everything else goes to hell in a hand basket, at least you’ve got the land. So why look for your landing? Because land is a great American dream. Because it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to play, only guts and desire. Because you look good in boots and a hat. Because you’re a survivalist, a tree hugger, a cowboy (girL0, or a hermit. Because it’s none of our business. Take that leap of faith Go for it.

And speaking of going for it.. and taking a bite .. life’s short eat dessert first. In your intrepid innkeeper’s quest for hte perfect oatmeal raisin cookie… yet another experiment … courtesy of allrecipes This is a really moist, delicious cookie that’s also quite healthy so yeah, have some for breakfast.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup butter
* 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 3 cups rolled oats
* 1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the eggs, vanilla and honey. Sift together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon, gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, stir in the rolled oats and raisins.
3. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto unprepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies start to brown. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Chew on that ..

Meditation in Cathedrals of Our Own

They say that these are not the best of times
But they’re the only times I’ve ever known
And I believe there is a time for meditation
In cathedrals of our own

How thoughtlessly we dissipate our energies
Perhaps we don’t fulfill each other’s fantasies
And as we stand upon the ledges of our lives
With our respective similarities
It’s either sadness or euphoria
- Billy Joel Summer Highland Falls

While I was raised Jewish and a belief in G-d, it was on a mountain run at Mt. Baldy that I actually had my “G-dincidence” and epiphany of G-d’s presence in my life. I’d spent more of my Shabbats in the “mountains of the L-rd” than in a synagogue. So when I came across God in the Wilderness, by “Adventure Rabbi”, Jamie Korngold this really got my attention. What I’ve been trying to articulate forever.. done brilliantly. . I even had to send this to my Joani in light(!) of our ongoing about the need to go to formal church service to pray versus meditation in cathedrals of our own. I’ve quoted this song to her several times.

Hiking trails, horse trails, and open spaces are filled with people who are not in church. Or are they? As the “Adventure Rabbi” writes in this book, many of her most powerful spiritual experiences have taken place outdoors, and she argues that she’s not wrong to take nature as her temple, because Judaism (and by extension Christianity) was founded outdoors, in deserts, on mountaintops, and by rivers. Humanity has always experienced the awe and “space of grace” as I call it that many associate with a feeling of being in the presence of the divine amid the beauty and wonder of the wilderness. It’s only relatively recently that worship was brought inside. Although Korngold writes from a Jewish perspective, her book contains ideas that are relevant to people of all religions, or those who lack one, but simply love to be outside.

Korngold writes that she was serving as the rabbi for a congregation in Canada when she began to feel restless; her obligations left her little time to enjoy the natural beauty around her. Combining nature with religion was her spiritual calling. For me, it was ultrarunning and now endurance riding. (Side note., I started thinking maybe the Adv. Rabbi and I were related)

God in the Wilderness pursues two basic tracks—Korngold gives the scriptural basis for praying and worshiping outdoors through citations from the Bible, and offers eight pieces of counsel to help nudge readers toward a more mindful way of living.

As the French philosopher Nicolas Malebranche wrote, “attention is the natural prayer of the soul,” and in the first lesson, “Cultivate the Patience to See Burning Bushes,” Korngold writes about a time she led a Jewish group on a hike and at first they were too distracted and too busy chatting to pay attention to their surroundings. Korngold postulates that Moses, if he were encumbered with a cell phone and a BlackBerry, might have missed the burning bush. “Heightened awareness,” she writes, “is the first step toward engaging the spiritual possibility that continually surround us.”

Readers are also reminded to to “Remember Sabbath Rest,” but thinks it’s okay if that rest involves hiking up a mountain—if you spend all week sitting at a computer, hiking (or riding : editor’s note) a form of rest

So get out in a cathedral of your own… talk to G-d and listen to His casual reply ( borrowed from John Denver).

Do i hear an amen?

Walk With the Animals

Driving down the gravel road to the mailboxes and then a “stage right” to town, I saw an antelope staring at me. It was then that the thought occurred to me that the antelope out number the people in Montana. It’s almost guaranteed that in one day you will see more antelope than you will people.

The antelope here run in groups of fifteen plus and don’t care if their blocking roads or holding up traffic. After all, we humans are the minority here so why should they care? So, if you ever hear a rumor about the wildlife outnumbering the people in Wyoming, believe it because it is true. I think there is a two to one ratio here, which is why I would never move. We may not make the news and we may not have a lot of people here or anything to do, but the wildlife (antelope) are well worth being here.

I feel since we’ve moved here and now with the horses , I know I’ve come home.Out in nature unknown places, somewhere close to our Heavenly Father and all things free. We I can’t live separate from all other species. They are the soul of me. Let’s hear it for passion that shakes us up, wakes us up, and hopefully makes us feel a little strange.

Dylan Thomas wrote:
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light…

He speaks of our awakening at the end of days, and feeling that so much is left undone.

I say let us be awake and wild every day.
Let us see infinite possibility all around us, here and now.
And let it whisper to us from beyond the next hill, and the next sunrise.
Let us not give in to the dying that we suffer daily when we fall into tired, empty habits.
Let us not listen to the voices that ask us to always speak in a measured, mediocre way.

Can I get a high five? Shabbat shalom friends, trot on, trot on.

Can’t see the Forest for the Trees?

You know the old saying: “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” You might have thought of that more than once as Uncle Sam just finisihed (hopefully) paying his annual visit. But what if it did? Would everybody be rich and well taken care of due to readily available money? Or would we still end up with rich, middle class and poor people? In the “thoughts that make you go hmmm” segment, here’s what I bet would happen if money really grew on trees:

Some People Would Take Very Good Care of Their Money Trees: There would be more than a few people who would view their money tree as a blessing and take the best care of it that they could. They ‘d get online and search out howto best grow their tree, they would water it and fertilize it and prune it. They would take care of the bugs that could eat their tree and prune it so it’d be uh more fruitful and multiply as it were. grow even more trees. These people would devote time, money and energy into their money trees because they know it will pay off. Years down the road, many of these people would have orchards of money trees and more than enough money to meet their needs.

Some People Would Neglect Their Trees: Whether it be because they are lazy or simply ignorant, there are people who would just ignore their tree and hope it gets bigger. Unfortunately, (as in when nurturing a project in your life)… with no water or fertilizer or any help at all, their trees would eventually wither up and die. Many of them will blame the tree or the ground or anything but themselves and some of them will go to the orchards of the people who took good care of their trees in order to borrow some crop. These people wouldn’t view their money trees as priority and think that they should just grow by themselves. Can you say “responsibility”?

Some People Would Want to Keep Their Trees Small: For some a big tree is a lot to handle and take care of. Some people may not want that responsibility. Maybe they grew up with small trees and that’s all they’ve even known. So they will do what they can to keep their tree alive, but small and manageable so there is not too much work to do.

Some People Would Smother Their Trees: A tree left out in the elements could be in danger, so some might try to shelter their tree and end up smothering it. They wouldn’t want bugs to get to it or for it to be impacted by the weather ups and downs, so they would do something like build a shed around their tree to protect it. Unfortunately, this would also keep their tree from getting sunlight and the water that it needs to grow. Instead of protecting their tree, they would end up smothering and killing it.

Some People Would Use Their Tree Up: What could you do with a tree besides let it grow? You could cut it down and use it as firewood. You could make a wood sculpture out of it. You could make it into a swing. Basically you can use all of it to make something that will only last a while, leaving you without a tree.

Some People Would Store Fruit for the Winter: Trees are abundant during the summer, but not so much in the winter time. There are people who would save their tree’s fruit from the summer to eat during the winter when their tree is bare. Others will eat all their fruit during the summer and be very hungry during the winter. The people who store their fruit could do so in many different ways: freezing, canning, preserving, drying, etc. There are many ways to get you through a winter season. (Ah visions of the Frontier House )

Obviously money will never grown on trees. But if it did, many people would treat their money trees just like they currently treat their money. Your habits and actions determine how much money you end up having and how big your “money tree” would be. If you had a money tree, how would you treat it?

Can you see the forest for the trees? Thoughts that make you go hmmm.

Customer “No” Service

As an innkeeper, customer service is our lifeline. You never get a second chance to make a first impression

Regardless of your business. it’s the customer silly.

So I ‘m hyper sensitive when I come across someone specializing in customer “no” service..
Questions you want to ask the person who repeatedly — and boy do I mean repeatedly — keeps either delaying the completion date of your barn or keeps giving you the same pat answer… “read the fitting guide” til it sounds like a broken record?

1. Was it something I said?
2. Am I too nice?
3. Am I not nice enough?
4. Do I remind you of someone you hated as a child?
5. Do I talk too fast?
6 Are you just not as smart as you look?
7. Is your tape measure all-metric? That would explain quite a bit.
8 . Are you on medications that make it difficult to focus?
9 Am I not making myself clear
10 Is this any way to do business?
11. What happened to customer service, anyway?
12. How have you managed to stay in business this long?
13. Will I stop being annoyed once the barn is finished and who I’m still mad at three years later when the stall door sticks?

So here’s the thing.. I’m not a customer service guru but I am a thinker. What’s worked for us

Don’t pretend to be interested; rather, be seriously interested. Ask r real questions. Listen. Be courteous. Then, do something with the information. It’s amazing what relationships I’ve formed by being interested instead of interesting.

Another thing about being interested rather than interesting… and almost like a detective searching for clues I can anticipate their needs . We received an online reservation which mentioned “no particular dietary requests… we’re celebrating our anniversary). They were greeted by a bottle of bubbly and a gift certificate for a day at the Boulder Hot Springs.

Don’t be a schmuck Rather, be honorable. . Be good to your customers /guests w. Be honest and stay focused on how your business can improve your customers’ lives.Don’t ever underestimate the power of quality, convenience and customer service.

They dont call it “word of mouth” for nothing Happy guests at check out will send other ones checking inn !

Hey, we shall inherit the earth

I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.
Frank Lloyd Wright

Celebrated Earth Day out with Patrick on a trail ride near Mill Creek. Bordering National Forest it’s in the n the heart of Amish arm Country. Hey!” shouted a farmer; he invokes “PP”, the private property principle. When it comes to beauty and nature, I’m with Bakunin – property is theft, at least when the receiver of the stolen Indian property is just hogging the view. We’ll see how fast GaZi and company feel like going on this nice soft turf,. Before the landowner and I could get very far along on our debate over the proposition that the revolution had been for the pursuit of happiness rather than for property, he started worrying that his canine was making a break for for it. He started calling his dog JB, who was running quietly along behind us. Sometimes dogs would rather run with horses than bark at them. Patrick always brings Jack his jack russell wherever he goes. That this little dog has survived horses and miles he’s done is a major miracle… but I digress.  JB trotted along , until its owner, driving parallel in his pickup, caught up with us all and coaxed his dog back.

After this hit and run, we had a great ride for 5 miles or so along the creek, and through the fields, orchards and  and all around beauty that defines Mill Creek.. Being in Amish Country , this part of the valley does not suffer from much human pressure, and it’s not bristling with keep out indicators, nor so many abandoned appliances, not too many shotgun shells and bald tires half-sunk into the soil.

Sometimes the water ran so close to the top of its banks that it seemed like a gentle, winding stream. It went alongside a wild, uncultivated reserve, and past an alpaca farm – shorn. Their scrawny bodies and ostrich necks topped by a poof of furry untrimmed head make them more startlingly more ludicrous looking than those frou frou Park Avenue poodles. In a couple of places along the streams we had to be creative to find a crossing. Following one, the soft  ground encouraged G-man to exaggerate the hidden possibilities of danger lurking in the creek’s overgrowth on one side  into justification for a fast gaiting charge for half a mile,  until we emerged at an untravelled road/  A n an old bridge over the creek allowed us to  cross and head back down and loop back.

Sometimes on this ride and others in farming areas , when you look out across a field of some tall ripening grassy crop like wheat or rye, a blackbird suddenly flies up out of the nowhere and followed by the others, but the flock is so numerous and the flight so short that for a little while some birds are still appearing at the same time others are disappearing. Another spook opportunity for our menagerie.

At 8 mpg I added a lot of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere getting here. Trot on friends, trot on.

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
Native American Proverb

B and B and Barnstorming

We’re expecting a full house here of shooting clinic participants; I know that whenever we have shooting clinic participants coming; it conjures up pictures of what they must be like as some descend in their Cabelas hunting clothes ready voice an octave lower, for effect tatoos for a day at the range . Also reminds me of sometimes when guests show up at the door; you see them through your filters and they end out by never being the “same folks” upon departure… It almost always happens that these folks are the kindest, most funnest and a classic case of “kiss your pictures goodbye”

Ever notice how phrases either take on new meaning and or come back to haunt you? How many times have you heard the saying “born in a barn” We’d hear that sometimes when we came in the door! Some simple country gleanings:

• Words that soak into your ears are whispered, never yelled.
• Forgive your enemies. It’ll mess up their heads.
• Never corner a critter meaner than you.
• It sure don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge.
• You just never can unsay a cruel thing.
• Everyones path has got some puddles.
• The best sermons ain’t preached, they’re lived.
• Most of the stuff people worries about never happens.
• Remember, silence is sometimes the best answer.
• Country fences should be horse high, pig tight, and bull strong.
• Life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounces back

But these boys are waiting for some fixings . To sustain ‘em we whipped up f Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes — Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. courtesy of Epicurious

# 1/2 cup buckwheat flour (available at natural foods stores)
# 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
# 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
# 2 teaspoons sugar
# 1 teaspoon salt
# 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
# 2 large eggs
# 1 cup milk
# 1 1/2 cups blueberries, preferably wild, picked over and, if large, halved
# Non-fat spray vegetable oil (such as Pam) for the griddle
# pure maple or blueberry syrup as an accompaniment

In a food processor blend together the flours, the baking powder, the sugar, and the salt, add the butter, and blend the mixture until it resembles fine meal. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and the milk, add the flour mixture, and whisk the batter until it is combined well. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes and stir in the blueberries.

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Heat a griddle over moderate heat until it is hot enough to make drops of water scatter over its surface and brush it with the oil. Spoon the batter onto the griddle to form 3-inch rounds and cook the pancakes for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden. Transfer the pancakes as they are cooked to a heatproof platter and keep them warm in the oven. Serve the pancakes with the syrup.

Makes about twenty-four 3-inch pancakes.

And if all else fails, I can always retreat once again with dignity to the barn It’s there that I’m yet again reminded why G-d invented horses.

On days when things don’t go so right
When plans are crushed
or my heart aches,
I take a walk to the barn.

I hear a welcome murmuring
and then, Gazi’s fine chestnut head
peers out from his stall door.
He listens to my troubles
and never tries to blame.
I lean against his strength and softness,
rest my head on his rumpled mane (i need to detangle that thang)
and take a long deep breath.
He bends his neck to cradle me,
making sure that I’m okay
and then goes back to munching hay.

The rhythm of hisr chewing,
The smell of my GaZi,
Reassure me that life goes on.
So when I need a better reason
to keep moving on down my path,
to clear the air,
to forgive, if not forget,
I take a walk to the barn.

Street Talk

Or would that be straight talk? As I was heading back from Butte yesterday,I noticed that every light turned green as I approached. I started to feel lucky, powerful, blessed, — life was going my way. I noticed “good ” thoughts about how “it must be my positive energy” or “the “street light G-d’s shining His countenance favorably upon me” … pun intended.

And when I seem to encounter only red lights, I get anxious… glancing at the clock on the dashboard and what I perceive to be time a wasting. arise. Either way, traffic lights become messages from a higher order of reality. A metaphor for life. Many people cling to this kind of thinking—the belief that when we’re on the right track, everything magically or mysteriously falls into place. Lights change, doors open, people appear, and God or the universe clears the way.

But if a hurricane hits, or acts of human violence, we make up stories about God punishing us. We seek messages and create stories to explain what it all means… and we have the capacity to make meanings (positive or negative) out of any event. Trust me I’ve been there, when Picken went lame, the first thing I thought was “G-d, why are you taking her away from me”?

We fall into that “if only” pothole… if only we could only get our thoughts and intentions aligned, then our lives will unfold in line with our desires and open the door to our dreams. Effortlessly Within every adult is a child who makes magic out of the mundane, and meaning out of mystery.

Quantum physics, we are told, proves (in a way we don’t quite understand) that our thoughts and intentions can somehow create our reality and that synchronicity will guide us to make the “right” decision if we only pay attention. All good things come from positive thoughts and feelings. Now, if f we could only control our mind and emotions!

Now I loved Mary Martin in Peter Pan as much as the next kid but here is what life has taught me:

Life can be difficult. It takes effort over time to progress toward our chosen goals. We can control our efforts, but not the outcomes (but by making an effort, we increase the odds of achieving those outcomes).Action counts more than words or thoughts (the smallest good deed surpasses the grandest good intention).

Some enlightening zen thoughts aka Fish Creek Felicity

And always remember: the ten commandments are not multiple choice.

We should not act without thinking, or think without acting. Thoughts and intentions form a map; we must still make the journey And from the Sound of Music, one of my all time favorite quotes:

When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.

And all this from silly street signs.

Weather Or Not

Here in Montana.. drive 5 miles or wait 5 minutes and the weather’s guranteed to change. 60 degrees on Thanksgiving and 20 degrees and 5 inches of snow when you wake up on Memorial Day . This time of year especially.. you can get plum weather weary. Spring teases you for a few days with balmy temps and sunny skies and you think at last… spring is finally here. Then you wake up to howling winds and snow covered horses forcing a collective “ugh”

But alas, weather happens.

That fact is lost on some people - especially local weather forecasters.

Watching a local weather forecast is much like reading the Sierra Club’s treatise on the environment. You know, that the earth will collapse in three years because of people who refuse to put a brick in their toilet tank.

The local weathergeek takes great pride in making the storm on their channel sound bigger, nastier and more destructive than the storm on any other channel. And, by God, they’re going to stay in the newsroom weather center all night to prove it.

Although local weathergoobs’ penchant for turning a dust devil into a Class 4 twister could be attributed to Nielsen ratings, I’ve come to the conclusion the reason is much more sinister than that.

Either:

1) Said weathergeek is as paranoid as a small dog and any drop in the barometric pressure pushes him into a  world where fluffy,cotton puff  clouds are controlled by Satan.

“The humidity is 85 percent. Expect a few clouds today. Wind will be out of the northwest at 10 mph and we’ll have periods of light rain,” weathergeek says . Or, 2) None of these weather guys know what they’re talking about.

This is evident in the fact that although their newsroom weather centers have more computing power than the Starship Enterprise, none of the local forecasts agree, but none are ever correct.   Typical prognostications include:
Ohhh, I’m getting great vibes. Temperatures should be warmer this Summer than they will be in the Winter.

Now this is interesting. For sure. There will be a tendency certainly for temperatures to be cooler at night than they will be during the day.

Instead of relying on a local weather forecast, maybe you should just tell yourself, “Hmmm, it’s summer. Maybe I should wear shorts.”

Going with the premise that weathergeeks couldn’t tell you the current weather conditions by walking outside and looking up, the following are points teachers obviously don’t cover in meterology 101:

• Winter is cold. Winter happens the same time each year. People already know they’re supposed to wear a hat when it’s cold - you don’t have to take up valuable air time reminding them.
• July is hot. Heck, it’s summer. It’s hot in the summer, every summer. Anywhere it’s summer, it’s going to be hot. That’s not something to panic over.
• As with cold in winter, if it’s 115 degrees, people already know it’s probably not a good idea to put on a parka and tar a roof. If they’re stupid enough to do this, let them.
• It rains in the spring.
• It rains in the fall.
• Sometimes it rains in the summer, and sometimes it rains in the winter. It’s just freakin’ rain. If you find yourself having chest pains related to anxiety because it’s going to rain, have a Chardonnay a nap..

And true to Jeff Foxworthy , you might (or in this case know) your’re from Montana when:

• you often switch from “heat” to “A/C” in the same day and back again.
• You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching.
• Your 4th of July BBQ is moved inside due to the blizzard

Yeah, weather happens. And so did these oatmeal raisin cookies as we head out for another ride… weather or not.

Happy campers were we to look forward to these apres. My quest for the perfect oatmeal raisin cookie continues.. Yet another adaption from allrecipes

INGREDIENTS

* 3/4 cup butter, softened
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 3/4 cups rolled oats
* 1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In large bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in oats and raisins. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool slightly, remove from sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Trot on friends, trot on.